Dangerous Temptation
by Emerald Night
Summary: She was a warm child and beautiful woman...he was the cold hearted and vicious youkai Lord forced to save her...can she melt the ice around his heart and can he resist the power of temptation?
1. An Unlikely Angel

DISCLAIMER:  I do not own Inu Yasha or its characters…::sigh::

**An Unlikely Angel**

She ran.  She ran as fast as her little legs could take her.  She tore through the forest, refusing to stop when she felt the sting of branches and swift stabs of pain.  They were getting closer; she could smell them, the blood, the lust, and the death that surrounded them.  

Through a haze of tears she blindly sped through the forest.  She had lost them.  Her family, her friends, her village and her home, she had lost it all.  Now they were after her, the only one left, the only survivor.  

She didn't know why she ran; she didn't understand why she still fought to live.  She had nothing left, nothing to live for, but her panic riddled mind only registered fear and a desperate and elemental need to run from it.  

The pain was coming in soft waves now, her gashes bleeding and her bruises throbbing.  Her muscles burned with fatigue, she wouldn't last much longer.

The she tripped and fell to the ground.  She couldn't find the strength to move, she couldn't find the strength to fight, and she knew she was going to die.  She turned her head slightly and saw them, their vicious fangs and their raging eyes as they cam upon her.  She felt their teeth dig into her flesh and rip it from her body; they were consuming her, killing her.  But it didn't matter, she had already lost everything she loved, no physical pain could compare to agony of the loss she had already suffered.  Blood was pouring out of her body, she could feel its warmth leaving her, she was fading, slowly succumbing to the darkness claiming her.  

Then it was gone, the ragged panting of their breath, their ferocious growls and grunts, they were gone.  With the last of her strength she turned her head and opened her eyes, wondering why they had left without finishing her off.  

As the last remnants of life flowed out of her body she took in the figure that now stood above her.  He was beautiful, long flowing silver hair and brilliant gold eyes.  He stood there, quiet and unmoving, power radiating from his elegant body.  She closed her eyes as the darkness consumed her and with the last beat of her heart she silently thanked whatever being had sent her such a beautiful angel.

~~~~

The girl was bleeding and broken.  She was dead.  He did not understand why he still stood here, why he still stood in the presence of a human, and a dead one at that.  He had sensed the wolf youkai running through his lands and he had smelled the fear of their prey.  He had only come to kill the wolves, he despised the creatures.  The inferior youkai thirsted only for blood, they were beasts, they were not worthy of living in his land, the Western Lands.

Sesshoumaru had come upon the pack greedily feasting upon a small human child.  That served only to disgust him further, the lowly beasts could not even find suitable opponents.  He destroyed them in a matter of minutes with one smart flick of his whip.  Then he was left there to stare upon the ravaged form of the human girl.  Something compelled him to stay, something refused to let him leave.  He did not understand it and he most certainly did not like it.

He, Sesshoumaru, was the most powerful and feared youkai of the land.  He detested humans, hated them for their weakness and he despised their pathetic existence.  But he could not bring himself to leave the girls side, the human girl, the very image of innocence destroyed by the most basic of evil.  

Sesshoumaru firmly believed that all things happened for a reason, and his belief was proved true as his sword, Tenseiga hummed to life at his side.  One of the fated fangs of his father, the Tenseiga had the power to restore life, it was a sword meant to battle death, not destroy life.  And it was a sword that had proved to have a mind of its own and will that was meant to be obeyed.  

He slowly unsheathed the fang and watched as it began to glow a soft blue.  He looked down at the form of the dead girl once more, seeing the familiar creatures surrounding her, taking her soul to the afterlife.  It appeared that his sword wanted him to save the young human.  

He frowned, he did not want to save the human, but he had no choice.  He slashed her with his sword, killing the creatures and bringing her back to life.  He watched the gashes disappear and the bruises fade as he sheathed his sword.  She began to move, a slight and imperceptible rhythm, she was breathing, she was alive.  Believing his job to be done and the will of the Tenseiga fulfilled, Sesshoumaru began to walk away only to be stopped once again by the power of the sword at his waist.  It was awakening once more; its power was surrounding him, making it harder with each step to continue on.  He turned around and made his way back to the girl, feeling the burden of the power become lighter as he neared her body.  

Frowning again at the insolent sword at his side, Sesshoumaru realized the girl was to go with him.  The sword willed it, demanded it, and all he could was obey.  In a rare showing of emotion he growled in frustration.  He did not need this now.  Not when he had the great territory of the Western Lands to protect, not when he was just coming into his full power.  He did not need to be stuck with a lowly human girl, he did not want it.  But there was nothing he could do, not when Tenseiga so strongly demanded otherwise.  

Sighing in resignation Sesshoumaru picked up the little human mildly surprised to find her scent not repugnant but somewhat pleasant.  She smelled of flowers and sunlight.  The young child turned in his arms, opening her eyelids slightly to look into the face of the demon who held her.

"My angel" she whispered dreamily before she drifted back to sleep.  


	2. Love And Hate

**Love And Hate**

It had been 10 years.  10 long years since she had had lost her family and her life.  10 years since a beautiful angel had come to her side and brought her back to life.  

Rin was no longer 8 years old.  She was no longer the young, naïve and innocent girl Sesshoumaru had saved so many years ago.  She remembered waking up in the arms of the angel she had seen in the moments before her death.  She remembered it so clearly, so vividly.  That day was firmly etched into her memory, she would never forget it.

~~~~Flashback~~~~

_In her sleep she had clutched the soft boa to her, wanting its warmth and its softness.  Opening her eyes slowly, Rin found herself in the arms of the angel she had seen standing over when she had died.  Maybe she was in heaven.  Looking into the eyes of the one who held her, the magnetic golden depths, she asked the question that plagued her mind._

_"Am I in heaven?"_

_"No" the stoic figure replied, his deep masculine voice washing over, warming her, protecting her.  "You are alive, what is your name?" he quietly demanded._

_"Rin" she answered on a whisper, afraid that she would shatter the beautiful image before her.  If this was a dream she didn't want it to end._

_"I am Sesshoumaru, Lord of The Western Lands, you will be staying with me now" he said calmly._

_Rin wanted to ask more questions but as she looked up to him, the cold impassive mask of his face, and the unflinching steel of his eyes, she somehow understood that he had explained all the he was willing to explain.  She would be staying with this angel, Sesshoumaru; he would be her master, her protector.  To be with this man forever, in one blinding moment she knew this was her fate, her destiny.  In the cheerful voice that would become her trademark she answered the demon's spoken demand._

_"Hai!"_

_~~~~_End Flashback~~~~

Rin smiled at the memory.  Even then she had understood him.  Letting her gaze settle on the back of the powerful youkai walking in front of her Rin could not help but wonder, as she had done everyday since she had joined him, why he had saved her and why he allowed her to stay with him.  She never asked, the question was always a silent one.  She knew he would never answer and she did not want to risk jeopardizing the tenuous relationship they had.  

She never asked questions, she always did what she was told, she always silently obeyed.  That was what he wanted, and she was more than willing to do it if it meant staying by his side.  Although emotion never touched his beautiful face she knew he had a heart buried somewhere, buried beneath all the ice.  

She refused to believe that the Lord detested her presence as his faithful retainer, Jaken, always claimed.  She knew that he cared for her in some way, as small or insignificant as it might be.  It was evident in the way he always sent her away when danger approached, in the way he tolerated her cheerful silliness when she was younger, and in the way he continued to allow her to stay even now, when she was 18 and able to care for herself.  

She loved Sesshoumaru.  The childlike idolization of her youth and grown and blossomed into a deep love that filled her heart.  But to love the powerful Lord was to also hurt.  She knew he would never return her feelings, ever.  She was a human and nothing would ever changer that.  He merely tolerated her presence and that had to be enough for her, it would be enough.  No matter how much her heart broke she would stay with him always, forever.

"We will stop here" She heard him say as his firm words interrupted her thoughts.  "Rin stay here with Jaken" he continued, as always never saying where he was he going.  But she knew, he had gone to hunt for some food, as he always did, for her.  

"Hai Sesshoumaru-sama" she replied in the same cheerful tone she had since she was a child.  

"Filthy human, I don't know why his Lordship even bothers" croaked the green, ugly, toad-like figure next to her.  "You are not worthy of his presence" Jaken ended,, shaking his staff in her direction.

With a rueful smile on her face, Rin kicked Jaken in the shin, causing him to yelp in pain and to drop his staff.  She picked up the servants coveted weapon and ran off with it, a screaming and very furious Jaken chasing her.  

~~~~

Sesshoumaru returned to camp, two dead rabbits in hand, and was greeted by the screams of his servant and mischievous giggles of his ward.  Setting the animals on the ground, Sesshoumaru folded his arms across his chest and leaned against a nearby tree, taking in the scene before him.  It was one he had witnessed many times before.  Sesshoumaru knew that Jaken hated the human girl he had saved so many years ago.  He could understand that, he had hated her for a long time and in some ways, he still did.  

She had disrupted his life.  Like a warm breeze she had subtly, but effectively changed him.  Her silly antics as a child amused him, compelling him to laugh, something he had long ago ceased doing.  The warmth and brightness of her being in return warmed him, made him comfortable in her presence.  Sometime over the past 10 years he had stopped hating the human he was forced to be with and began to hate the human he _wanted_ to be with.  She was unlike anything he had ever encountered, human or youkai.  It was her quiet and unquestionable loyalty that made her so different, her loyalty to him.

In the beginning he had not treated her as well.  They would travel for hours without rest, he would only provide the small amount of food necessary to sustain her, and she traveled in the same clothes he had found her in the day of her death.  She was a constant reminder to his inability to master his own sword, a reminder that he was not as powerful as he thought himself to be.  But she had never complained and gradually he began to change.  A better room in his palace, new clothes, Ah and Un to ride on when they traveled.  And over time she had earned his protection, she was a part of his territory, the Western Lands, she belonged to him.  He had accepted all of this; it wasn't until the past year that her presence began to bother him on a wholly different level.

She was no longer a child; even he could deny it no longer.  She had grown into a woman, a beautiful one.  Long, raven black hair, full rosy lips, soft curves and a lean and slender body acquired from their constant traveling.  Her scent had always been pleasing but now it was intoxicating.  Flowers and sunlight now laced with the headier scent of lavender and musk.  A garden at midnight, that was the image her scent brought to mind.  

He did not like the new feelings stirring in his blood; he did not like the emotions she was now evoking in him.  They were dangerous in their temptation.  Shaking his head of the thoughts that plagued him, he straightened as Rin began to beat Jaken over the head with his staff.

"Rin, stop" he commanded.  She silently obeyed, as she always did, and walked over to where he stood to begin the fire to cook the rabbits he had brought.  

After she had finished her meal, Rin prepared to sleep, sitting next to Ah and Un, she undid her braid and began to comb through the tangles with her fingers.  She began to quietly hum as she went about her task, completely content.

Above her, Sesshoumaru sat on a branch in a tree, watching over the camp, watching over her.  Closing his eyes, he let her soft and melodious voice wash over him, not opening them again until she had stopped and fallen asleep next to the warmth of Ah and Un.  His gaze swept over the land, searching for any hint of danger and finding none.  The night was beautiful.  The full moon shined brightly in the sky; illuminating the land below, casting a soft white glow on everything it touched.  He had always been awed by the moon, its mysterious beauty and ethereal power.  Yet the splendor of the night and the moon above escaped him as thoughts of the sleeping woman below lingered in his mind.


	3. Unshed Tears

**Unshed Tears**

Rin relished in the feel of the wind in her hair, and the warmth of the sun on her face.  She closed her eyes, savoring the delicious sensations that coursed through her body as she flew through the air.  Inhaling deeply she took in the scent of the one who held her, Sesshoumaru.  The smoky and earthy scent of autumn that was him, that was her Sesshoumaru-sama.

Rin was so overcome with joy at the fact that Sesshoumaru carried her as they flew, instead of sending her to ride on the back of Ah Un as she usually did that she did not stop to question the peculiar behavior of her Lord.  Instead she concentrated on the feel of him, that long hard body pressed against hers, those elegant and powerful hands holding her to him, the gentle brush silver strands of hair across her cheek.  This was her dream.

It was over all too soon, the gentle breeze of the wind stopped playing with her hair as Rin felt her feet touch the ground.  In the moment she lost the wonderful sensation of flying, she also lost the incredible warmth of Sesshoumaru, as he stepped away from her once they reached his destination, whatever that might be.

Slowly opening her eyes, reluctant to let go of the dream she had held in her hand so briefly, she took in her surroundings, gasping in wonder.

They had landed in some sort of paradise, a sanctuary.  Color spilled across the land, vibrant hues of blue, red, purple and green.  She could hear the soft hum of the water that ran through the land, its pure crystal quality enhancing the beauty around her.  Beyond the river, beyond the riot mass of flowers swaying in the grassy plain, beyond the spot in which she was standing she could see…nothing.  It was as if this paradise was cut off from the rest of the world, a hidden treasure that only her Lord, and now herself, knew about.  It was truly breathtaking

"Where are we?" Rin questioned silently, awed by the power of the beautiful land in which she found herself in.

"A place within the borders of my land" Sesshoumaru calmly replied as he looked into the distant horizon.

Rin turned to look at Sesshoumaru as he said this, and as she silently watched him she felt a small seed of dread begin to sprout in her heart.  He stood, with his back to her, so rigid and so distant.  His arms folded almost defensively across his chest and cold indifference etched into every line of his body.  It was almost as if he was preparing for something, distancing himself from some unseen hurt.  In all the years she had traveled with him, Rin had never seen him act this way.  Despite the heat of the sun, Rin shivered, feeling bone deep cold settle into her body.

"Sesshoumaru-"she began, wanting to rid herself of the foreboding feeling that had come over her.  But she was cut off as Sesshoumaru turned to look at her, his face stony and impassive, his golden eyes hard.

"Stay here Rin" he commanded in a tone she had become accustomed to, "I am going hunting."

And with that statement Rin felt the coldness in her body vanish as a warm flood of relief swept through her body.  This she understood, this routine she knew.  He was going hunting; he would go off into the woods and come back, carrying some small animal for her to eat.  She quickly dismissed her earlier feelings as a trick of the uncanny beauty that surrounded her and the fact in the deepest part of her soul she knew what her biggest fear was; losing Sesshoumaru.  

Shaking her head quickly to dispel any lingering doubts, she smiled brightly to her Lord.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama" and then he was gone.  Off into the distance, into the bright blue sky, his long silver hair flowing freely in the wind.  The Great Lord of The Western Lands was indeed the very image of an angel.

~~~~

As Sesshoumaru flew away from the beauty of the paradise and of the girl, he heard her voice again, it echoed in his mind, in his heart.  It had been hard, harder than he had ever imagined, leaving her there amidst the splendor and magnificence that suited her far too well.  

She was a liability, an unacceptable risk.  That was what he told himself, that was the mantra that he repeated in his head over and over again.  She made him weak, she made him vulnerable.  That pure innocence, the wild and untamed beauty, it haunted him, she haunted him.  

He didn't want this, he didn't want to be controlled by emotions, and he didn't want to feel them.  She made him feel them, she made him feel everything.  She was a human, pathetic, frail, and weak.  She embodied everything he despised, everything he was not.  But even as his head made the declaration, his heart screamed something else.  His heart, he had buried it long ago, it had been frozen and cold, until she came into his life.  

He landed soundlessly on the balcony of his room, unable to move further, unable to enter his castle.  Turning around he stared out across the land that made up his territory, a land that felt so empty now.  Without her laughter, without the sunshine that she carried around with her, his land was empty.  Sesshoumaru let out a vicious growl at that thought, as the sky darkened and ominous gray clouds took shadowed the land.  He did not need her, he did not need anyone.  He was the all powerful Lord of The Western Lands, an omnipotent and widely feared youkai.  He did not need a lowly human girl.  And he had proven it; he had left her, walked away from her just as quickly as he had brought her into his life.  Gazing out across the land one last time, as if searching for something he had lost, Sesshoumaru walked into his room, silently shutting the doors behind him.

Outside, the dark gray clouds above opened up, letting a wild and frantic torrent of rain pour out of their depths and onto the earth below.  The glistening drops fell to the ground in a steady rhythm, the tragic tears of a demon who refused to acknowledge the sadness that froze his heart once more. 


	4. Two Swords

**Two Swords**

She ignored the hushed tones and whispers of the people as she walked through the village.  They were all the same, every village.  They had all heard of her, the woman who had once been the ward of the most powerful youkai Lord.  Now she was the woman who had been cast out of the demon's land and his life.  Many of the villagers feared her, some even hated her.  For two years she had been wandering this land, forced into a nomadic existence, traveling from village to village.  She didn't have a place in this world; he had taken it from her.  He had taken everything.

She had sat in that glorious field for what seemed like eternity, patiently waiting for her beloved Lord to return.  But as the hours passed into days the doubt grew until she finally realized with heart wrenching clarity that he was never coming hack.  Her heart had shattered that day, when she had finally opened her innocent and naïve eyes to the painful reality that was the truth.  She had lost her heart that day and she had vowed that she would never love again.

She was stronger now.  He had always insisted that she learn to defend herself.  But now, as she crossed the vast land alone and unprotected, she had been forced to fight more often.  With each battle her strength grew, each crimson drop of blood the reflection of the sorrow she could not bring herself to express.  The forest was her home, her sanctuary, as it had always been.  Necessities such as clothing and soap brought her into the villages she despised.  But she had money, money she had earned on her own.  

Fighting had become her profession.  Much like the demon exterminators, she was often hired to kill the inferior youkai who lurked around many of the villages.  She had taken to carrying a sword.  She practiced every day against an unseen enemy, one who  haunted her.  She had spent the better part of her life watching him, studying his every move.  She had spent countless mornings in the dojo, watching him train.  She knew what she was doing and now she was just as skilled as him.  The only thing she lacked was his inhuman speed.  However, luckily for her the demons she was commissioned to fight did not possess any skill or intelligence, let alone speed.

Loneliness and bloodshed.  This was her life now.  It was a far cry from life at the castle picking flowers.

The warmth of her spirit had chilled over the time.  She no longer smiled, no longer laughed.  Her ability and desire to do so had died the day he left her.  He had been her reason for living and as the months passed, he had become her reason for dying.  Countless times she found herself standing at the edge of a cliff, a mere step away from ending the pain and finding peace.  But she could never bring herself to take the final step because every time she was on the brink of doing so his face would come to her mind.  Unbidden and unwanted, his image was burned into her memory.

He had banished her to a life worse than death.  She was cold and alone, a hollow version of her former self.  Despite the pain and the sorrow he still lingered there, intensifying her agony, never letting her forget.  She was cursed, she knew she would never escape him, never escape her love for him, her Sesshoumaru-sama.

~~~  
  


Not much had changed in two years.  He was still the most powerful demon Lord, the most feared.  If anything his power was only growing, his territory expanding daily.  He never thought of that day, he had nearly forgotten the girl who had been such a big part of his life.  She had become a distant memory.  At least that is what he told himself.

Jaken never questioned the absence of the human, indeed he was probably overjoyed that his master had finally come to his senses and disposed of the lowly girl who was not worthy of his presence.  His life had settled into a familiar routine, devoid of the emotional temptations that the girl presented.  That was what he wanted.

But somewhere inside of him he knew he had not forgotten her, would never forget her; her quiet and unwavering loyalty, her bright cheerfulness, and her incredible warmth.  But over the years her image had dimmed, her scent had faded, and her voice had been silenced.  Memories of her were fleeting and infrequent, he had moved on.

Now here he was, patrolling the boundaries of his territory, ready to slay any unwelcome trespasser, human or youkai.  Then he heard it, the scream of some beast's terrified prey.  He could smell the stench of an inferior youkai and the putrid odor of human flesh.  They were not within his borders, the youkai and the human did not concern him.  He was about to continue on and leave the savage and its prey alone until a new scent wafted through the air and reached his nose.  It was the scent that had his feet moving, of their own accord, towards the screams of the helpless human; this new smell that drew him in, the scent of blood and lavenders.

~~~

Rin heard the piercing scream fill the air.  Rushing in the direction the scream had come from, she found a small helpless child, furiously trying to run away from a vicious snake youkai.  Feeling anticipation hum through her blood at the thought of battle, Rin rushed into the clearing and put herself between the young girl and the demon.

"RUN!!" she screamed to the child behind her.  Keeping her eyes on the furious youkai, Rin circled her opponent until the child's footsteps could no longer be heard.

"You would attack a defenseless human child? "She questioned "You are pathetic" she finished calmly, satisfied when the bright streak of fury blazed in the creature's eyes.  The snake lunged for her, aiming for her head.  But she was smarter, and she was faster.  She dropped to one knee, letting the youkai sail above her.  She unsheathed her sword she lifted it up and stabbed it into the heart of the demon above her.  Its tail came swinging around as it fell to the ground, smashing into her body, and throwing her across the field.  As the dust settled and the youkai stopped moving, Rin stood up and wiped the blood off of her kimono.  She almost smiled, she had saved that young girl's life and she was glad.  But just as she about to re-sheathe her sword she felt a dark and omnipotent presence behind her.  The adrenaline in her blood sped up once more; she was in the mood for a good fight.  Gripping the hilt of her sword with both hands, she spun around quickly, brining the steel down in a dangerous arc, ready to slice the demon she knew stood behind her.  But she was not fast enough.  She felt the harsh and jarring impact as the swing of her sword was stopped by the steel of her attacker's.  

Glaring over the crossed blades she found herself staring into a pair of golden eyes she wish she could have forgotten.

A/N:

gothichoratu:  Thank you for being the first to review my story!!!   I'm glad you like it!!!  This is Sesshoumaru we are talking about here…he's cold hearted…he had to leave her! (:


	5. Kill Me

**Kill Me**

He had known it was her, he had known before he had seen her face through the silver steel that separated them.  One glance at her face and the years melted away, the pain, the sadness, the unbearable ache; it all came rushing back in one powerful wave.  He had foolishly believed he had forgotten, but here she stood, in all her glory, making him remember.  

He felt them begin to faintly stir as they stood motionless with their swords locked in battle, he felt the emotions that only she could evoke begin to creep back into his body.  He would not have it, not again.  With a loud growl he used his superior strength to push her away from him.  He watched in surprise as she gracefully executed a backwards somersault and land on her feet once more to assume a fighting stance.  _Where had she learned to fight? He absently wondered.  It didn't matter, he would leave now before she drew him in more, he would leave before the memories overtook him.  He re-sheathed his sword and turned from her intent on leaving, until a deceptively soft voice stopped him._

"You will not fight me?  You, who despise humans with every fiber of his being, would leave one alive?"  He heard her ask angrily.  _Did she want to die?_

In one blinding move he was upon her, knocking the sword out of her hand, capturing both of her wrists in one of his clawed hands and drawing them behind her back, rendering her useless and unable to fight.  The motion slammed her body into his, bringing her face within mere inches of his own.  Staring down into the face of the girl he had left two years ago he felt the shock rage through his body as he realized he did not recognize the woman before him.

Yes she still smelled the same, the intoxicating blend of musk and lavender, the smell of midnight.  But she was a stranger.  Where she had once possessed the body of soft curves and gentle warmth had now become sleekly muscled with the promise of an unyielding strength.  Her full mouth whose lips had always been curved in a smile was now drawn into a frown, an expression he had never seen on her before.  But perhaps most disturbing of all were her eyes.  They had been a cheerful brown, so light and airy, always filled with laughter and happiness.  Now they had become a deep black, cold, hard and unfeeling.  _Had he done this to her? He wondered.  Had his abandonment caused this transformation?  Again, it did not matter.  He refused to dwell on it; he refused to be haunted by this girl. _

Releasing her, he let her fall unceremoniously to the ground.

"I, Sesshoumaru, would not lower myself to fight with a lowly human."  He told her, his usual arrogance touching his voice.  He turned from her once again, intent on leaving her behind.  But it seemed the girl had other plans.

As Sesshoumaru turned his back on her, she had reached out to grab her fallen sword.  In one powerful lunge she launched herself at the Lord's back.  He turned when he heard the rustle of cloth and the hiss of the wind.  But this time he was not fast enough.  As he turned to face the human who dared to attack him, the end of her blade caught his chest, leaving a long trail of red.  Even as he felt the swift kick of pain, he disarmed the woman, and held her frail neck within grasp, painfully tightening his grip, ready to kill the girl who had attacked him.

"Go ahead" She said quietly, as his claws punctured the tender flesh of her throat "kill me.  I am already dead.  You killed me two years ago; finish what you could not that day.  Kill me" the calm and silent plea breaking through the blazing fury that had overcome him.

She wanted to die; she wanted to die because of him.  He squeezed harder, letting the vicious sharpness of his claws tear into her flesh until he could feel her blood pour over his hand.  But he could not kill her; the same part of him that had refused to forget her now prevented him from taking her life.  He held her there, trapped in his vice like grip, dangling above the ground, until she fell unconscious from the loss of blood.  

Dropping her on the ground, he raised a hand to the wound on his chest.  His hand came away red, she had spilt blood, his blood.  He wiped his hand on his kimono and spared another glance for the form on the ground.  Two years had done nothing to dim the effect she had on him, it had done nothing to dim the temptation.  For once in his life he felt helpless, he could not control his reaction to her, his need for her.

Furious, frustrated, and impatient he grabbed the sleeping girl and threw her over his shoulder, taking to the skies.  She would come with him once more, but this time she would not be his ward, she would be his prisoner.

Landing at the front gates of his castle, Sesshoumaru carried the prone form through the door and into his home, not stopping until he had placed her into the room she had once occupied, leaving two guards to make sure she stayed there. 

Walking down the long, empty hallway, he walked to his study.  Before entering the room he turned to face the servant who had followed him.

"Jaken, she is back" he told the toad.

"Who my lord" he questioned, clearly confused.

Closing his eyes Sesshoumaru took a deep breath.  Looking down to his retainer, his face impassive and eyes unreadable, he spoke the one name he had not uttered in two years.  

"Rin"

A/N:

Angel86:  I am sooooo glad that you love my fic!!  Please keep reading! (:

Secrets:  Cold to him…I wouldn't have it any other way!

Yumeni:  I hope it ends well for them too…. (;

  
  



	6. Flowers

**Flowers**

Rin awoke to the pulsating throb of pain in her neck.  Wincing as she struggled to sit up, Rin brought her hand to her wounds, reminding her that it had not been a dream

_No_ she thought as she glanced around the room she now found herself in _this was no dream._

The soft pink hue of the walls, the colorful ribbons and hairbrush strewn carelessly on the dressing table, the endless bunches of dried flowers, and the frivolous and childish drawings that littered the walls; these had all once been hers.  Time stopped and began to rewind as her eyes touched the familiar objects.  This was the room of her youth, the room of her innocence.  She had never thought she would see it again.  

Sighing quietly as the memories surrounded her, Rin got off the bed where she had once longed for the love of her master.  Walking to the door she pulled it open, only slightly surprised to find two guards posted outside, each poised and alert, ready to stop her if she tried to escape.  

_So I am a prisoner_ she realized as she closed the door.  Crossing the room in quick and efficient steps, Rin found herself stopping in front of the vanity.  Sitting down on the plush chair she caught the image of herself in the mirror.  She reached out to touch the reflection of the woman she had become, so different from the one who had dreamed of love and happiness.  Closing her eyes Rin let the memories she had been fighting wash over her and transport back her in time.

~~Flashback~~

_"Rin" the soft voice of her Lord said above her head "this will be your new room."_

_Taking in the beauty and extravagance of the place she was now to stay, Rin was stunned speechless for a brief moment, but only for a moment._

_"This is all for Rin?" she asked quizzically, not quite able to believe that all this would be hers._

_Her question was never answered as Sesshoumaru merely glanced at her and left the room, leaving her to explore the beauty around her.  Smiling to herself, Rin felt a sense of peace settle over her.  She had found her home._

_Leaving the wonder of her room, Rin ran outside, stopping only when she came to a field littered with flowers of all colors and all sizes.  She picked as many as she could fit in the small fist of her hand.  Running back into the castle she went into the study, she knew he spent most of his time there._

_Timidly she entered the room, finding the object of her search sitting behind a beautifully polished mahogany desk, his head bent over the dozens of scrolls that filled its surface.  Only the soft crackle of the fire could be heard as she stood on the threshold, scared and unsure. The he lifted his head and the heat of his gaze landed on her._

_Mesmerized and unable to move, Rin watched as the firelight danced across his face, for once making it seem alive._

_"Rin" was all he said; it was all he needed to say to break her out of her trance.  She entered the room and crossed the distance to where he sat.  Looking up to him, adoration shining brightly in her eyes, she placed the wild bunch of flowers on his desk, a silent thank you for all he had done for her._

_His eyes fell to the unruly mass as if he was unsure as to what to do with them.  He nodded his head once, his own silent way of accepting the small gift she had offered him._

_"Go to your room" he said as he returned to his work, completely forgetting the presence of the girl next to him._

_"Hai" she replied, and then she quietly exited the room._

~~End Flashback~~

The single, solitary tear rolled down her cheek unnoticed as the scene finished playing in her head.  Flowers were such a trivial and unimportant thing, essentially nothing but dead weeds.  But he had accepted her feeble offering, he had let those flowers sit on his desk, he had not thrown them away.  He had once cared.

She felt the familiar pain of sorrow and loss rise within her again.  He obviously hadn't cared enough.  He had tossed her away, left her as if she meant nothing.  She hated this.  She hated the way he made her feel.

Suddenly very angry, Rin smashed her fist into the mirror before her, shattering the image of the broken hearted woman she had buried long ago.  She would not let him do this to her again.

She glanced at the window she had crawled through countless times when Jaken refused to let her play outside.  He had made a mistake putting her in a room she was so familiar with, he would pay for it.  

Now was not the time to reminisce, it was not the time for grief, and it was not the time to remember a lost a love.  _It was time_ she thought as a cold smirk touched her face_ to escape._

~~

Sesshoumaru dropped to the floor, exhausted and frustrated.  Beads of sweat dripped down his face, testament to the rigorous training he had just gone through.  For nearly two hours he had intensely exercised, the one activity that had always relaxed him.  

Grabbing the towel that lay folded next to him, he began to dry off the sweat that glistened on his body, his hand pausing when it ran over a slight ridge on his chest.

The little vixen had scarred him.  All his wounds healed instantly, and hers had not even been deep.  But there on his chest was the undeniable truth that a mere human had managed to injure him.  A long diagonal scar marred the perfection of his muscular chest.

He had yet to decide what to do with the woman who found herself under his roof…again.  Two years may as well have been two days now that she was back.  And he knew now, as he absently rubbed the scar she had given him, he would never forget.

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	7. Lost In A Memory

**Lost In A Memory**

Squeezing herself through the window had not proven to be easy.  The last time she had felt the need to secretly leave her room she had been a child.  Now she was a full grown woman, but she had managed.

She landed on the soft grass, glistening in the sun with the drops of morning dew.  She knew the grounds of the castle very well, she still remembered, it was hard to forget the place she had grown up in.  To the right was a well worn dirt path which lead to the dojo and the garden, she had spent countless hours in both, picking flowers and watching him, she was always watching him.  To the left there was a faded trail in the grass, not many ever walked that way, it led to the forest that lay just outside the grounds of the castle, which was where she was going.

She took off in a furious sprint, determined to reach the cover of the trees before he realized she was gone.  Her scent was fading from the room with each step she took; he would know soon enough that she was not there.  Her only hope was that she would reach the river that ran through the middle of the forest; water was her only chance at masking her scent and keeping him off of her trail.  She would not be captured again; she would not be his anymore.  That part of her life was over, she belonged to no one.

Her muscles burned and her legs ached as she pushed herself harder and harder with each step.  _Almost there! Her frantic mind screamed._

The brilliance of the sun disappeared as she finally reached the cool shade of the trees.  Stopping for a moment she leaned against a tree to catch her breath.  She spared a glance over her shoulder to see if anyone had followed her.  There was nothing there, just an empty field, and the stone wall of one side of the now distant castle.  She had made it, but she still had a long way to go until she was off his lands and out of his territory.  As long as she remained within his borders she belonged to him, just as everything else did.  

She wearily pushed herself off of the tree and cast one last fleeting glance at the home of her youth, she was leaving it once more.  She took off in the direction of the river, she did not have much time, he would come after her, she had no doubt about that.

Two years ago she had longed for him to come back to her and take her home.  But now, as the sound of rushing water grew louder and louder, she prayed that he would not find her.

~~~

Jaken visibly trembled as he stood before his master.  At this particular moment he feared for his life.  The stench of his fear filled the room and overwhelmed the sensitive nose of Sesshoumaru.

Jaken had followed the orders his Lord had given him.  He had gone to the room in which the girl was imprisoned.  He still did not understand why his master had not simply killed the incessant girl once and for all.  But he never questioned the actions of his master.  Jaken knew he had a plan for everything.  His cold and sharp mind endlessly devising brilliant strategies that kept him in power and often times killed his enemies.  Jaken did not know what Sesshoumaru had in store for the woman, but whatever it was it would not be pleasant.

An evil smile touching his face, Jaken had motioned for the two guards outside her door to step aside, letting him enter to retrieve the girl, as Lord Sesshoumaru had requested.  But as he walked into the room he was met with nothing but silence.  She was not there.  On glance at the window whose curtain was gently blowing with the wind and he knew.  She had escaped, his master would not be pleased.

So now he stood before him, reluctant to apprise him of the bad news.

"What is it Jaken?" Sesshoumaru questioned, clearly impatient with the toad's nervousness.

"Sh-Sh-She's gone Master" he managed to stammer, the panic clogging his throat.  "The girl has escaped, through the window." Jaken finished in one breath.  He closed his eyes and waited for the blow that would surely kill him.  But none came.

A wicked smirk touched the face of the emotionless lord and a soft, sinister chuckle escaped his lips.  Now Jaken was truly afraid.

"She would run from me?"  Sesshoumaru questioned out loud, a touch of amusement lighting his voice. "She leaves me no choice but to chase her." He finished, clearly enjoying the idea of hunting her.

With that he walked out of the room, without another word to Jaken who stood paralyzed and terrified.  In a streak of white and blue Sesshoumaru was gone, following her quickly fading scent into the forest.  His golden eyes took on a reddish hue as anticipation hummed through his body, the child he had once saved had now become his prey.

~~~

Tears if frustration and helplessness filled her eyes and threatened to spill over her cheeks, she had gotten so far, she had nearly made it, but fate was an evil thing.

With aching arms she had managed to pull herself out of the river.  She had swum until the exhaustion threatened to take over and the possibility of drowning became real.  

She sat on the bank of the river, panting and out of breath, a puddle of water quickly forming around her.  She wasn't sure how much farther she would be able to go, she only knew that she had to get up and continue on, the edge of his territory was within her reach, she knew that, she had traveled these lands too long not to know where his land stopped.

Pickings herself off of the ground, she stood and stretched her aching muscles, it was then she heard it; the unmistakable growls and the blood thirsty pants.  After all these years she still remembered, she still heard them in her dreams, still saw the blazing red of their eyes.  But this was no dream; it seemed her past had finally caught up with her. 

Slowly turning, Rin faced the new threat that had appeared; a pack of wolf youkai, just like those who had killed her so many years ago.

She let out a bitter laugh.  It was ironic really, that she should die by the same creatures that had killed her when she was 8.  Perhaps it was her destiny to die by the ferocious fangs of the beasts who stood before her.  Maybe she jut had bad luck, either way she was going to die.  Her water soaked clothes were too heavy to allow her to run, her muscles to tired; there was nothing she could do.

For the second time in her life she prepared herself for the inevitability of death, but this time there would be no one to save her, no angel to watch over her.

~~~

The little minx had gotten bold over the years.  She dared to defy him, she dared to escape.  

He knew that his servant, Jaken, had believed that he would kill him when he told him that she was gone.  He had been sorely tempted to, his anger had been swift and it had been deadly.  But he restrained himself.  He needed an outlet for his anger, yes, but it would be so much more satisfying to take it out on the girl who haunted him, the woman he hated.

She was strong and intelligent, he would giver her that.  She had nearly reached the perimeter of his territory; she had nearly escaped his control.  Traces of her scent lingered in the river, she had attempted to mask her scent, she would have been successful if he weren't so determined and if he hadn't intimately known her scent as he did.

Then her scent hit him, like a powerful wave, he could smell each emotion that wildly ran through her body.  Fear, sadness, helplessness, and acceptance.  Surely she had not detected his presence, so he wondered at the cause for all these emotions pouring out of her body.

She had stopped moving, this puzzled him as well, she would have continued running until she was out of his lands.  Something was stopping her.  

When he reached the clearing where her scent was the strongest, the scene that greeted him snapped him out of the red haze that filled is senses.

They had been here before, only this time she was still alive.  The beastly wolf youkai stood a few feet away from her, the lust for her flesh clear in their eyes.

His eyes moved to the figure of Rin, she stood, quiet and still.  Her eyes were closed, as if she had calmly accepted the fact that she was about to die.

_No!_ His mind screamed.  This was all wrong, she belonged to him, no inferior youkai would touch her, touch his Rin.

In one blinding movement, he unsheathed his deadly sword, Toukijin, and destroyed the lowly beasts with one fatal swing of his blade.

He turned to face Rin, who had opened her eyes at the sound of the youkai's death.  Her eyes widened in shock when she saw that he had saved her, she opened her mouth as if to say something, but fainted, the hardships of her journey finally taking their toll.

He caught her before she hit the ground.  He held her in his arms as the memories came rushing back, surrounding him and overwhelming him in their intensity.  He had done it again, with the simply swing of a sword he had saved the life of this human girl.

Looking down into the weary face of the sleeping woman, he trailed a finger down her cheek in a tender caress, she was not the girl he had brought back to life all those years ago.  She was a woman, strong and beautiful.  His finger traced the fullness of her lips, after all this time he still longed to taste them.

Circling both of his arms around her, he embraced her, letting her head lie on his chest.  On a deep sigh he closed his eyes and rested his chin on the top of her head.

Twice he had saved her, twice he had been compelled to make this girl a part of his life and twice he had let her go, pushed her away from him.

Silently he wondered if there would be a third time.

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	8. Silence

**Silence**

She had not spoken a word since the morning she had awoken, once again, in the room of her youth.

Momentarily confused, the events of that day had come rushing back, the rage, the fear, and the shock, one powerful wave of jumbled emotions.

She had waited for it, the stab of their fangs, the tearing of her flesh, the sound of their satisfied grunts as they consumed her.  But it never came.

The tense silence had been broken by the screams of the youkai and the splatter of blood.  The scent of death had filled the air, causing her to open her eyes.

_Had she been saved?_

No, she hadn't, she realized as she took in the scene before her and her eyes fell on her savoir.

There he stood, once again wielding a powerful sword that saved her life.  The tip of the blade was stained crimson, he had saved her.

As her weary mind had processed the information, she had opened her mouth, intent on asking him why.  She was shocked and confused.

_Why did you save me again?!_ Her mind screamed.  But the words never came.  The exhaustion she had been fighting finally took over, the adrenaline of her near death experience fading from her body, leaving only a bone deep ache.

The piercing golden eyes of the Lord who had saved her once again were the last thing she had seen before she fell into black oblivion.

It had been two weeks since that day.  The soldiers who guarded her door were gone, she was not locked in her room, she was no longer a prisoner.  Despite the new freedom she had gained she still couldn't escape, she knew that now, wherever she went, wherever she would go, he would find her and bring her back.

That did not mean that she had to speak to him and she hadn't, for two weeks she wondered the halls of the castle and sought the solace of the extraordinary gardens, but she had not once spoken to the Lord who had brought her back.  There was a time in her life when she had given him everything.

Now she gave him nothing.

Every night he came to her, calling her name in the same arrogant voice that demanded obedience, and every night she refused to acknowledge him, refused to give in.

Tonight was no different; she could the power of his aura as it sped her way, tonight she was not in her room.  She had left the castle in search of the peace and quiet she always found in the beauty of the gardens.  She could feel his anger and his frustration as he came closer, stopping behind her.

She smirked, she had not been where he had expected her to be, that was enough to anger him.

"Rin" he spoke, as always silently commanding her to bend to his will.  She turned to face him, momentarily surprised to find that he was so close, a mere breath away from her.  He was intimidating, power and strength emanated from every pore of his elegant body.  As always the mere sight of him left her breathless, he really was beautiful.  But she would not let that distract her.

She closed her eyes, gathering the courage and strength she would need to defy him once again.  Opening them once again her eyes sparkled with determination and she held her head high, she would not back down.

"I tire of these childish games, speak" he demanded, cold fury lacing his tone.

She stood there, unmoving and seemingly unfazed by his demand.  The wind whipped furiously around them, around the two engaged in a silent and heated battle.  As her silence continued she watched as his golden eyes came alive with fury, her continued defiance only enraged him more.

"I can make you talk" he said on a deadly whisper, taking a menacing step towards her and grabbing her chin in his hand.  Still she refused to submit.

_Make me_ she thought, the challenge shining in her eyes.

Letting out a growl of frustration Sesshoumaru pushed her against a nearby tree, imprisoning her with his body and threading his hands through her hair so she could not move.

For the first time in two weeks, Rin's eyes widened in fear.  _What was he going to do?  Did I push him too far?  She frantically thought, her eyes darting to either side as if trying to find an escape.  But there would be no escaping._

He watched her actions and felt her fear, he was an Inu youkai after all, she could not hide it from him.  A smile touched his face moments before his lips ruthlessly claimed hers.

Rin let out a gasp of surprise; this was the last thing she had expected from him, a slap, the painful sting of his claws…yes, but a kiss?  No, she had not expected that.  Her gasp opened her up to his tongue; the velvety softness of it slid past her lips and tasted her.  The kiss was searing, his taste intoxicating.  Soon her body relaxed, the warm flow of acceptance taking over her body, mindless pleasure melting her resistance.  She succumbed to the steady and rhythmic thrusts of his tongue, she head never believed he could be so gentle, his initial brutality had long ago ceased and all that was left a painful tenderness.  It seemed that some dreams were never forgotten.

She had told herself that she hated him, she had told herself that her heart no longer yearned for him, but with one kiss he proved her wrong.  Oh how wrong she had been.

Suddenly she pushed away from him, breaking the passionate embrace.  She couldn't do this, not now, not when she had finally found her own strength, her own independence.

She brought her trembling hand to her lips, she could still feel the warmth of his lips.  Closing her eyes she ran, she ran from the garden and she ran from him, not stopping until she was safely locked within her room.

She slid down the door and drew her knees to her chest.  There, in the cover of darkness, Rin finally cried the tears she had fought for so long.

~~~

He had let her go, his own emotions too unsteady to risk chasing after her.  If he caught her he would surely finish what he had started.

She had tasted so sweet; he had always known she would.  That which is forbidden is always the sweetest and to him she had always been off limits. But moments ago he had held her in his arms; he had felt the warmth of her body, the heat of her desire and the passion of her kiss.  She wanted him; he knew that, her soft whimper of pleasure had filled the air before she ran from him.

Her silence had driven him to this point.  She had always silently obeyed him, she had always been loyal.  Before he left her, her inane and idle chatter had followed him wherever they traveled; the girl had never been able to keep quiet.  Even when she had been his prisoner her voice had filled the castle, furious and angry, it had been there nonetheless.

But for two weeks it had been silenced.  She refused to speak to anyone, refused to speak to him.  It was like she was ghost, silently haunting the halls of his castle, as she had done so for two years.

He had followed her to the garden tonight intent on making her speak, as he had tried to do on every preceding night.  But his attempts, his commands were all in vain.  She was stubborn, she continued to defy him.

He had only wanted to confirm that she was indeed there, he wanted to reassure himself that she was real and standing before him.

So he had kissed her, all his fury had exploded as he violently claimed her lips.  But his rage had vanished the moment the he tasted her.  This was what he wanted, what he ached for.  So he stopped ravishing her mouth and began exploring it, reveling in the wonder of her unique flavor, one that he would never tire of, one he knew he would always crave.

The kiss had been a mistake.  As the wind cooled his previously heated skin he closed his eyes, yes…it had been a mistake.  

He should have never kissed her, he should have never given in to the temptation that was her, that was Rin, because now he knew.  He knew with heart wrenching clarity what he had been without and what he would lose if he lost her again.

He needed her and he had to find a way to make her need him…again.

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	9. Chosen

**Chosen******

Rin walked through the castle, deep in thought and oblivious to the chaos around her.  Servants were scurrying about, cleaning the floors, polishing priceless treasures, and preparing a massive feast.  For what?  Rin didn't know, nor did she care.

Somewhere in the back of her mind she realized something strange was going on, but her brain wasn't working properly, it hadn't clearly functioned since the night he kissed her.  

The memory of the night came flooding back, the cool breeze of the wind, the silken caress of his hair, and the unforgettable feel of his lips on her own.  Her lips tingled in response, even now, more than a week later; her body reacted, refusing to forget.  

In her oblivion Rin nearly knocked over a young female servant who held a pile of linens in her arms.  She quickly reached out to stable the young girl before the cloth fell to the ground.  The servant mumbled her apologies and rushed off towards the wing of guest rooms.  

_Strange, was Sesshoumaru expecting quests?_  Rin absently wondered before turning back to the matter that plagued her mind.  Her feet carried her through one of the endless corridors, the only one that was not filled with working servants.  She wasn't too surprised when, after snapping out of her trance, she found herself standing in front of the door to Sesshoumaru's study.

Reaching out, Rin laid a hand on the massive door; she knew he was on the other side, sitting behind his desk, alone, as he always was.  She sighed, what was it about him that made her simultaneously hate him and want to comfort him?  As a child she would have rushed into the room and gleefully thrusted a tangle of flowers at him with a cheerful smile on her face.  But now, as a woman her feelings had become more complicated, she couldn't hide behind innocence any longer.  He had taken it from her hadn't he?  That day he left her alone, the day he abandoned her and shown her what it was to hurt, that day he stripped her of her innocence and forced her to grow up.

But now, as she stood there, he heart screaming at her to go in and face him and her mind telling to run from the pain he would invariably inflict, she wished for the blind courage her naiveté gave her.

Rin turned from the room and went in search of the solitude of her room.  With every step she despised the fact that he still affected her so deeply, resented the fact that he still made her feel so strongly.  But most of all she hated herself, because with one kiss he had revived a long buried truth, one she had believed to be dead years ago.

How foolish she was.  The truth was she still loved him, she always had.

`*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk, dozens of letters sat before him, demanding his attention and his time.

His eyes fell to the one on top, picking it up he began to read it only to throw it down in frustration moments later.

He couldn't concentrate; he couldn't stop thinking of her, of Rin.

Standing up suddenly in a rush of anger, he pushed away from his desk, knocking over his chair in the process; the sound of wood hitting wood reverberated through the quiet study.

He went to stand in front of the window, letting his gaze fall across the sweeping lands that made up his territory.  Usually the magnificent sight calmed him, it was all his.  But he would not be soothed this time.

It frustrated him that he couldn't tell what she was thinking, for the first time in his life he was unsure, and he did not like the feeling.  What he was supposed to do now he had no idea, and she certainly wasn't helping.  Since that night she had been wandering the castle in a deep state of contemplation.  He took a small amount of pleasure in the fact that he had put her in such a state.  But he was growing impatient, he knew what he wanted.  Granted his stubbornness and pride had refused to allow him to see it before, but he knew now.  

He wanted Rin, and he always got what he wanted.

This little "ball" that he was planning at the moment had not been his idea.  It had been forced upon by the other Lords who insisted that he mate, after all, he had waited an extraordinary amount of time to do so.  Some of them hoped that a mate would quell some of his more ruthless tendencies; some of them hoped that once he began producing pups he would less inclined to seek out more land for his territory.  Whatever the reason, they had all banded together and threatened to attack.  

Sesshoumaru did not like being threatened and he knew that he could have defeated the new alliance, but it simply wasn't worth it, nor was it in his interest to wage war at this particular time.  So he had agreed to the ball.  All the eligible female youkai would be in attendance.

His eyes narrowed at the thought of all the giggling girls who had repeatedly clamored for his attention in the past, as if he would chose some insipid female as his mate.  

No, his choice had already been made, but the other Lords didn't need to know that.

His body tensed as the scent of lavenders and sunlight washed over him.  She was standing right outside his door.  He could smell the uncertainty, the longing, the sadness and the undercurrents of desire. Why did she not come in he wondered.

He resisted the urge to throw open the door in impatience as the minutes dragged on.  But his pride refused to allow him to act first.  The soft sound of her footsteps told him that she was walking away.  He strode angrily to the door, ready to storm after her and force her to face him.  But his hand stilled as it grasped the cold metal of the handle.

He laid his head against the door.  Now was not the time.

But it would be soon, very soon he promised himself.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rin walked through the spacious room, the emerald green of her kimono trailing behind her.  She ignored the lingering glances of appreciative men and the venomous ones of jealous women.

_Where the hell is he?_  She screamed angrily in her mind.

She should have known what he had been planning all week.  She had seen the signs, but she had ignored them.  Holding a ball to select a mate, she snorted, what a foolish idea.

Once she would have been hurt by the idea that he was seeking someone other than herself to become his mate.  But now she was only enraged.  Damnit!  She knew he felt something for her and she wasn't going to let him run from it as he had done before.  She was tired of being treated this way.  It was going to end tonight.

She finally caught sight of him, the silver mane of hair catching her eye.  She stalked over to where he stood, in the center of a bunch of drooling female youkai.  Every girl in the room was tripping over herself fighting for his attention.  Not that she could really blame them.  After all, he was undeniable attractive and powerful.  Who wouldn't want to be with him?

Rin stopped just beyond the circle of giggling girls and waited for Sesshoumaru to see her.  When his gaze landed on hers she simply folded her arms across her chest, shot him a heated look, and walked out of the room and into the garden.  He would follow her, her anger inciting his own.  So she waited.

"Rin" said the voice behind her, demanding her attention.  She whirled around, her cheeks flushed in fury.

"Were you even going to tell me?" She yelled, not bothering to specify what it was she was talking about.  He knew what she was referring to.

"No" he said so calmly it only served to enrage her even more.

"Fine!" She yelled, "Go chose your mate, I hope she poisons you in your sleep." She spat at him as she walked away.  She should have known better than to walk away from him.

He lashed out and grabbed her wrist, spinning her around until she was crushed against his chest.  His arms circled her and held her in a vice like grip; there would be no leaving now.

He leaned to, his breath feathering across her cheeks and stirring her hair.  She shivered when his mouth stopped near her ear.

"I have already chosen" he whispered seductively.  Somehow Rin knew that whoever he had chosen she wasn't inside of the room they had both walked out of and that thought terrified her.  Hope could sometimes be a terrifying feeling.

**Author's Note:**  I'm sorry it took me so long to update.  School has been pretty hectic….stupid finals!!!!!  Plus I got wrapped up in another story after having encountered a serious case of writers block for this one.  But no worries…a new chapter had arrived and the end is near!  Enjoy….and thanks to all those who reviewed!!!

**P.S.**  Because I feel bad that I took so long to update I am including an excerpt from the next and probably last chapter.  Now that my creativity has finally returned my ideas for the way this story should end won't go away!

**Excerpt** **from the next chapter… "****Battle**** of The Heart:  Love Always Wins":  He ripped open his kimono, revealing the long, diagonal scar that still marred his chest.  Rin's eyes widened in shock.  Had she done that?  "I never forgot Rin, I couldn't."  He reached for her hand and placed it lightly on the scar _she_ had left.  Rin wasn't prepared for the words that he spoke next and she knew they would echo in her heart forever.**


	10. Battle of The Heart: Love Always Wins

**Author's Note:**  Wow….it took me a long time to finally update this fic…I have had this chapter outlined in my head for awhile now…but due to illness and the holidays I have been unable to update it until now!  Thank you to all those who reviewed, especially those who e-mailed me!!  There's nothing better than knowing that someone enjoys what you write!  Thank you all for taking the time to read my fic…I am truly thankful!

**Battle**** of The Heart: Love Always Wins**

Jaken huddled in the bushes as the couple continued their hushed conversation.

Her cheeks were flushed, the fire of her anger heating her face and no doubt inciting the fury of the powerful youkai lord with whom she argued.  

Of course no emotion broke through that icy facade.  But he knew, Jaken knew that it was there, boiling just beneath the surface screaming for release. His master was the epitome of control and restraint.  But she had been the only one to test it.  

Jaken recognized the signs, the imperceptible flash in his molten eyes and the barely visible clenching of his jaw.  His Lord was angry, but there was something else, something he had never seen there before, something that reined in his temper and softened his eyes.  Jaken saw the flash of determination light his master's eyes the moment before he crushed the girl to his chest.

He watched wide eyed as Sesshoumaru leaned in closer to the girl, stopping to whisper something in her ear, the words too soft for him to hear.

There was something about the way he held her, firmly but innately tender, as if he wanted to cherish her.

Jaken should have known, he should have realized sooner, but he had been a fool.

All this time his Lord had been fighting, fighting a war he had not been prepared to fight.

Jaken could still remember the little girl who had picked flowers and laughed her way through life.  She had been the first human he voluntarily saved and she remained the only.

He remembered the years of her absence.  He never quite understood her sudden departure.  But now, looking once more at the image of Sesshoumaru holding the girl in his arms he understood.

It is instinctive to fear what you do not understand, and clearly his master had never understood neither her nor the effect she had on him.  So he had pushed her away, cursed her to live a life of loneliness and solitude, the same one he had lived his whole life.  His pride had blinded him to the one thing that could save him.

But it seemed fate had a different plan for these two.  The force and power of fate is undeniable and inescapable, even to one as powerful as the all mighty Sesshoumaru.

Jaken quietly walked away, sparing one last glance to the fated couple.

A small smile touched the toad's face.

Who would have ever thought that an innocent human child would be the one to humble his powerful master?  

There are times in battle when surrender becomes the only option.  It was his turn now to realize the importance of such a tactic, because Lord Sesshoumaru was fighting the first battle that he would ever lose.  

~*~*~*~*~*~*

~Last Chapter~

He leaned in, his breath feathering across her cheeks and stirring her hair.  She shivered when his mouth stopped near her ear.

"I have already chosen" he whispered seductively.  Somehow Rin knew that whoever he had chosen she wasn't inside of the room they had both walked out of and that thought terrified her.  Hope could sometimes be a terrifying feeling.

~*~*~*~*~*~*

Rin closed her eyes as his words, and the implication behind them, sank into her.  She squashed the rising wave of hope that was threatening to take over her body.

_NO!_  She screamed in her head.  Not again, she would not allow him to break her heart again.  He would, she was certain of that.  After all he was the most powerful youkai in the land, and she was nothing more than a lowly human; undeserving and unworthy of one as him.  He would soon realize it as he once did and cast her away, leaving her to pick up the pieces of her heart and her life….again.  But this time she knew there would be no recovering.

Ignoring the desperate cries of her heart she pushed herself away from him, the suddenness and surprise of her action catching him off guard.  She spun around in a flash of green as the ends of her kimono twirled about her.  The tears were slowing spilling over now, but she would not cry in front of him.

"I will not let you go again Rin" His voice stopped her hasty retreat and she stood there, silent and unmoving.  It was over…she realized with a sudden clarity.  She had lost her heart to him and there was nothing she could do about that.  It was his, it had always been and forever would be.  There was nothing she could do to lessen the pain of future heartbreak.  But she would not leave without a fight.  She was tired of running away, tired of being afraid of what she felt and afraid of his rejection.

The glint of silver caught her eye as she glanced towards the bushes that lined one side of the garden.

A sword.  Curious she looked around, but could only dimly make out the shadowy shape of a retreating figure.

In a fluid movement she dived for the sword that lay like a beacon so close to her.  Paying no attention to the yards of emerald silk she was ruining, Rin grabbed the hilt as she executed a clean somersault and came up gracefully once more on her feet, in a fighting stance with her sword pointed at the very shocked figure of Sesshoumaru.

"And this time I will fight" She stated in a deadly calm.

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed in impatience, she was not joking, she really meant to fight him.  Sesshoumaru straightened in determination and unsheathed his own sword and calmly took position, if it was a fight she wanted, then it was a fight she would get.  But he would win.

Rin seethed at the arrogance etched into every line of his body.  He thought he was going to win.

She ran towards him, fury giving her an unnatural strength as she brought her sword down in a deadly arc.  Not surprisingly it was stopped, inches from his face, by his own sword.  Their eyes met over the crossed blades, much as they had done before, but this time she was not exhausted, this time she would win.

As his golden eyes continued to bore into her she suddenly dropped to the ground.  She dropped the sword to roll between his legs.  As she did, she reached into the folds of her gown to retrieve the weapon she always carried.  Standing up behind him she waited until he turned to face her. 

His silver hair flew wildly in the air, falling slowly to settle as Rin held a dagger to his throat.

"I am not weak" Rin whispered, "and I will not lose my heart to you again"

Sesshoumaru merely dropped his sword and brought his hands up to his chest.  Rin's breathing quickened in anticipation to the unexpected act.  _What is he doing?_

Tightening her grip on the dagger just in case, Rin could only stare as he ripped open his kimono, revealing a long, diagonal scare that marred the perfect beauty of his chest.

"Do you remember this?" he quietly questioned.

Through the cloudy haze of shock Rin's memory brought alive the last time she had fought him.  She had injured him, she remembered, she had caught him with the tip of her blade, in the chest.

Her eyes widened in shock.  Had she done that?  Had she left a scar on a youkai who had the ability instantly heal all wounds?  It wasn't possible.

"Oh but it is" He said reading the silent question in her eyes. His voice snapped her attention back to the demon lord who stood in front of her.

"Wh-wh-what does it mean?" She stammered in confusion.

"I never forgot Rin, I couldn't" He said softly as he reached for the hand that held the dagger.  Grasping her wrist gently with one hand, he used the other to discard her weapon.  He placed her hand lightly on the scar _she_ had left.  Rin wasn't prepared for the words he spoke next and she knew they would echo in her heart forever.

"I belong to you" he said before capturing her lips in a tender kiss.

_So beautiful_.  That was all she could think as he held her in arms, lovingly for the first time.  The night, the words, him.  Everything was so beautiful.  Tipping her head back to look up into the face of the man she loved Rin smiled.  There would be no more tears, no more sadness, no more pain.  She had finally won.

"And I belong to you…Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru embraced her once more, a secret smile touching his face as his eyes landed on his discarded sword.  Tenseiga, the sword that had brought her to him, the one that could never harm her.

She had won the battle, but in the end, he Lord Sesshoumaru had finally surrendered to her, to Rin…his dangerous temptation.

**The End**


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